Poker: Final Table Strategy.
This is one situation where you may consider employing some of those super-savvy poker moves that you have seen the masters use . If you have been involved in a fairly giant tournament with respect to the field size and/or buy-in , punters will usually try to play pretty smart when they get down to the final table .
Let's say that you have about the average amount of chips and are happy to get in the money . In this case , you'll doubtless accomplish your goal if you stay out of the action and avoid confrontations . You potentially won't win the tournament , but that's not really what you are shooting for .
It's easier to play tight at the final pit for a few reasons . First of all , most punters are pretty proud and satisfied that they made the final pit . They might be the kind of punter that severely tightens up until they hit the cash . Not that Iam the best tournament participant ever , but Ihave seen my share of final pits . Usually , one or two punters are knocked out inside the first few hands of final pit play . If you are looking to move up in the standings , it might be a good idea to wait it out for a few hands .
Speaking of waiting it out , don't take it to the extreme . Have you ever seen this at a board when you are down to the money or close to it ? The blinds are 1,000/2,000 and the guy who just got the big blind has been folding every hand . He's in last place and has 400 chips left after this hand . He folds . He's gambling that someone will else will go broke actually playing before his chips run out and he can sneak into the money . This is just gutless in my opinion . He's leaving the battle to participants with spines , and refuses to play and try to actually get back into the tournament . I just don't like it .
Back on topic . Let's suppose , however , that you really want to take that first prize and decent chunk of change down . You have got a healthy stack of chips and don't mind taking some chances . Good cards just don't come around often enough for you to sit back when the blinds and antes are getting to you . The first step to playing an aggressive final table would be to spot participants like I described earlier . These punters aren't going to defend their blinds and if they do come over the top of you , you can know to get out .
The key is having position and power on the opponents . If you really have a chip advantage on the blinds , you can try to run over them from late position with any suited cards , face cards , and pair , or whatever you feel comfortable with . These participants might be too timid to even call you , and if they do , you still stand a chance to win . Plus they're not really going to take a good chunk out of your stack . One of their most popular under-publicized statistics is putting suited connectors all-in against A-K . The suited connectors are going to win at least about 40% of the time . That's a pretty good chance ! Next time your A-K gets beaten all-in against 5-6 , remember that Big Slick is still just a drawing hand . you are not an overwhelming favourite against two live cards . It usually just comes down to whoever pairs one of their cards .
This article courtesy of Nick Kisberg of Cardschat.com and distributed via SupaBets.com.